Grading machine



June 19, 1934. J. w. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 19, 1934.

J. W. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sheet 5 GRADING MACHINE J. W. JOHNSTON Filed D ec.

June 19, 1934.

June 19, 1934. J, WJJOHNISTON 1,963,850

GRADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1930 4Sheets-Shet 4 Jan? 5 Patented June sire Fri-er.

GRADING MACHINE Application December 2, 1930, Serial No. 499,485

Claims.

This invention relates to grading machines of the kind which grade died-out pieces of leather such as cut soles, taps, heel lifts, counters and other blanks in accordance with the thickness of 5 the thinnest spot as determined by the detector. The invention consists in certain improvements upon the well-known grading machines shown in a number of patents to Elmer P. Nichols and Leander A. Cogswell, and particularly, although not exclusively, grading machines of the general type shown in the Nichols Patent No. 1,130,321 dated March 2, 1915.

The improvements which constitute the subject matter of this application have to do chiefly with mechanisms whereby the same trip which controls the lock of the setting mechanism for preserving the thinness detections also controls the opening of the gate and the feeding in of a succeeding blank; and with the mechanism for propelling or conveying the blanks through the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate such parts of a Nichols grading machine as are necessary to an understanding of the present invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a grading machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail illustrating the adjustable pivot mounting of the gate hereinafter described;

Fig. 3 is a plan View, partly in section, of part of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevation on an enlarged scale, partly in section, of part of the mechanism for feeding or conveying the work through the machine;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the conveyer chain shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly in section, of a part of the actuating mechanism for the feed carriage.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 are the usual detecting rolls at the front or in-going end of the machine. The upper roll 1 is continuously driven from the main driving shaft 3, which carries a pinion 4 meshing with spur gear 5 journaled on a shaft 6, mounted on the frame of the machine. A second spur gear 7, keyed to gear 5 to turn therewith, meshes with gear 8 on the shaft of roll 1 and thereby drives the latter. The upper detecting roll 1 drives the lower detecting roll 2 by means of gears 9 and 10 fixed on the shafts of said rolls respectively. The lower detecting roll 2 is journaled as usual in boxes 11 which slide in vertical-guideways on the machine frame, and

the usual pair of cell crank levers 12, connected across the machine by a spring 13, normally press the roll 2 toward roll 1 by engagement with under side of a crossbar or yoke 14 fastened to the journal boxes 11, as more fully shown in said Nichols Patent No. 1,130,321.

Up and down motions imparted to detecting roll 2 as a blank passes between the two rolls is transmitted to the usual setting mechanism by which the grading mechanism is adjusted in accordance with the thinnest spot of each blank as determined by the detecting rolls. The setting mechanism includes the lever 15 fulcrumed on the machine frame at 16 and provided at its free end with a toothed segment 17. This toothed segment meshes with a gear segment 18 fast on a rock shaft 19. A second gear segment 20 is loose on rock shaft 19. The mechanism for actuating segment 20 from segment 18 (not shown herein) may be the same as set forth in the Cogswell Patent No. 1,726,610 dated September 3, 1929.

The gear segment 20 meshes with a rack on the under side a bar 21, which slides endwise. Another rack on bar 21 meshes with a pinion 22 on upright shaft 23. A pinion 24 is fixed to the top of shaft 23 and meshes with a rack on the side of bar 25 which slides transversely of the machine in the rear cross-head. The adjustment of the slide bar 25 adjusts the grading mechanism in accordance with the measurements as determined by the detecting rolls. Thegrading mechanism herein shown is a stamping or marking Wheel 26 adjusted in the usual way by slide bar 25; but it will be understood that it might consist of or include skiving or evening mechanism as is common in the Nichols and Cogswell machines of the type illustrated in said patents.

The transmission mechanism thus far described and the grading mechanism controlled thereby may be of usual construction and reference is made to said earlier patents for a fuller description.

Extending between the detecting rolls 1, 2, and the grading mechanism is a feed chain 27 for conveying the blanks through the machine. The feed chain is mounted on the driving sprocket wheel 28 and the driven wheel 29. The driving sprocket 28 is fixed to shaft 30 which is connected by a sprocket and chain drive 31 to the shaft of spur gear 32 meshing with the gear 4 on the main driving shaft 3. Eeretofore the feed chain 27 has been provided on its working face with prongs or spurs to engage the blanks and propel them with the chain, and the hold-down shoe for pressing and holding the blanks in firm engagement insteadof rectangular. This form of friction or with the spurs on the feed chain has consisted of a rail immediately above the feed chain with a smooth, straight under surface against which the blanks slide. The spurs tended to puncture, tear and deface the surface of the blanks; also as the spurs engaged the blank only at separated points the blanks were not always held sufficiently securelyto'prevent them from swinging. sidewise out of proper alignment, also the engagement of the blanks only at separated points sometimes tended to cause the blanks to pucker or buckle. Moreover, in the construction heretofore used the sliding engagement of the hold-down shoe with the traveling blanks created undesirable friction.

These objections are overcome in the present invention in which the outer or working side of the feed chain 27 is provided with a facing of friction material, herein shown as a series of pads 31 of leather which are fastened to alternate links of the chain by rivets 82, whose heads 3'3fare countersunk in holes in the pads so as not touch the soles or other blanks. Instead of leather pads, rubberpads or pads of other suitable friction material might be' used but I have found that the grain surface of leather is admirably adapted to engage andpropel leather blanks without, marring or disfiguring the work. It will be observed that the pads 31 are slightly dished or cupped by the rivets 33 which draw the middle are? f the pads downward, thus forming a series of vacuum cups which tend to supplement the. frictional engagement of the work by suction. The vacuum cup action of the pads may be enh' ance'dlby'making the pads circular or rounded friction, and vacuum conveyor makes it possible toffeed. the blanks through the machine grain si ie down so as to receive the grade mark or stamp on the flesh side thus avoiding disfigure- "ment 'offthe grain side either by the conveyor 34;; 34 between which are journaled a series of chainor the grade mark.

Iiior'der to reducev the friction developed by the former hold-down shoe I have provided a hold- .down'fdevice' consisting of a pair of spaced rails anti-friction rollers 35 for engaging the top side of :the'blanks being propelled by, the frictionfeed chain. The usual springs 36 cause the hold-down bar'yieldingly to press the sole or blank against the'friction .feed chain.

When a sole or similar blank is fed into the machineit passes between the detecting rolls 1 and 2,j"'whi'ch feed it forward until the advance end is; picked up by the feed chain or conveyer 27.

In passing between rolls 1 and 2 the blank causes detecting roll 2 to move up and down in response to variations in thickness of the blank but the thickness measurements are not preserved untilthe advance end' ofthe blank reaches and lifts 'the usu'al'trip. 37 which is adjustably mounted on rod 381' "Soles are fed heel end first as it is usually desired .to grade them only at the fore part or ball oflthe sole. Rod 38 is fixed to rock shaft 39 mounted crosswise of the machine. A second arm 40 fisfixed to and extends rearwardly from rock shaft 39and supports at its end a downwardly eX- ten'ding, weighted rod 41, the lower end of which engages the tailpiece 42v of a pawl 43 and normally holds the pawl 43 disengaged from its ratchet sector 44 on wheel 45, which is fast on shaft ,19-

In frontof the detectingrolls 1 and 2 is the usual gate '46 piv0tedat 47. The gate is normally 75 held' open by a connection to rock shaft 39 consisting of a link 48, a lever 49 pivoted at 50 and having a rearwardly and downwardly extending arm 51 which engages underneath a short arm 52 fixed on rock shaft 39. When the trip 37 and rod 38 are down the gate 46 is lifted to open position. When the trip 37 is raised the gate 46 is free to close by gravity.

The gate 46 is also connected as usual by a link 53 to the tail-piece 54 of pawl 55 which cooperates with a ratchet sector 56 on wheel 45. When the gate 46 is open the pawl 55 is disengaged from its ratchet 56.

As soon as the advance end of the blank reaches and passes underneath trip 37, the trip is lifted thereby permitting pawl 43 to engage ratchet 44. The preservation of the thinness measurements will now begin. The following portion of the blank Will at that time still be under gate 46; consequently the gate, although free to fall to closed position will merely rest on top of the passing blank and will still hold pawl 55out of engagement with ratchet 56. As the detecting roll. 2 encounters successively thinner spots in the blank the r0112 will rise thereby swinging the transmission lever 15 upward and rotating wheel 45 counter-clockwise and each increment of thinness measurementsregistered in the adjustment of wheel 45 will be held by ratchet, and pawl. 43, 44. If thicker spots in the blank are encountered by detecting roll 2-they will merely cause the roll to move idly downward owing to the yielding connection between roll 2 and lever 15. As soon as the trailing end ofv the blank passes out from under gate 46, the latter will fall to the table thus setting pawl 55 into ratchet 56.- Wheel 45- is now locked against movement in either direction and the grading mechanism will have been adjusted in accordance with the wheel 45 Which; corresponds tothe thinnest spot in the blank. as;

determinedbythe detecting rolls. The construction'and operation of'the setting mechanism just described may be substantially the same as usual. in the Nichols and Cogswell machines.

An important feature of the present invention isin theactuating mechanism for the feedcarriage by which individual blanks are fed into the machineeach. in predetermined timed relation to the immediately. preceding blankwhich is; passing through the machine; and more specifically, inthe mechanismwhereby the same trip 37', which looks the locking pawl 43 and starts the transmission of the thinnessmeasurements to the grading mechanism-when the leading end a cat'ed, byalink 57 forward and backward onv the. bed or. floor of the magazine, as described in said patent, to feed the blanks into the machine one by. one from the bottom ofthe stack.v The link v b 7 145; 59, which is driven by .a sprocket and chain con- 57I is.actuat,ed bya crank arm 58 fast on shaft nection .60, from; the same shaft 6 which carries a s nd? The actuating ;mech anis m for v feeding th sts in? e mach n cau es. t e, crank ,58, to;

make one revolution and stop. It is controlled by a blank passing through the machine so as to start the feeding movement of the next blank when the first blank reaches a predetermined point in its travel through the machine. This is accomplished by the following mechanism;

The sprocket wheel 61 at the lower end of driving chain is loose on shaft 59 and carries a clutch member 62 (Fig. '7) which is continuously rotated by chain 60. A sleeve 63 carrying a clutch member 64 is splincd to shaft 59 so as to rotate therewith but to slide axially thereof. A spring 65 normally presses clutch member 64 toward clutch member 62. Sleeve 63 carries a pin or stud 66 which engages. the inclined cam. face 67 of the clutchcontrolling lever 66 to hold the clutch member 64 retracted and disengaged from clutch member 62. The clutch controlling lever 63 is fulcrumed on the frame of the machine at 69 and has a rearwardly extending tail-piece '70. A spring '71 normally urges the tail-piece upward against a stop '72 and the lever 68 downward. A latch bar '73 is pivoted at its top to. the end of an arm '74 fixed to rock shaft 39. Latch bar '73 is provided with a shoulder '75 normally positioned just below the tip of the tail-piece 70.

When a blank passes underneath trip 37 and lifts the trip together with rod 38 it also lifts latch bar '73 through rock shaft 39 and arm '74. whereupon the shoulder '75 swings above the end of tail-piece '70. So long as the blank is under trip 3'7 the latch bar '73 is held elevated; but when the trailing end of the blank passes out from under trip 37 the latter falls to the table. at the same time swinging arm 74 downwardly, and the shoulder 75 of latch bar '73 presses the tail-piece '70 downward and lifts the clutch lever 68 out of engagement with stud 66 allowing the clutch member 64 to engage with clutch member 62. Shaft 59 thereupon starts to rotate, thereby operating the crank 58 and link 57 of the feed actuating mechanism. When the stud 66 has made about a quarter turn it engages a lever '76 and swings the opposite end '77 of the lever upwardly to engage the end of latch bar '73 and force it to the left, thereby disengaging shoulder 75 from tail-piece '70 thus permitting lever 68 again to engage sleeve 63. As the pin 66 continues its rotation and approaches the end of one revolution it engages the cam face 67 and disengages clutch member 64 from clutch member 62, thus stopping the rotation of shaft 59 at the end of one reciprocating motion of the feed actuating mechanism.

It will be observed that the rock shaft 39 carries trip 37, which is controlled by the blank passing through the machine, the arm 40 and rod 41 which actuates the thinness measuring lock 43, the arm 52 for opening the gate 46, and the arm '74 and latch bar '73, which controls the clutch for the feed actuating mechanism, so that when the trailing end of the blank passes out from under trip 37 the thinness measuring lock 43 is disengaged to free the wheel 45 for responding to the measurements of the next succeeding blank and simultaneously the gate 46 is opened and the clutch of the feed actuating mechanism is engaged to cause a succeeding blank to be fed into the machine from the magazine M.

It will be understood that when the advance end of the blank reaches and depresses trip '78 is operates through well known mechanism to force the stamping Wheel 26 down toimpress the grade mark on the blank. This occurs before the trailing end of the blank has passed trip 37 and unlocked the thinness measuring pawl 43.

In order to vary the distance of the gate 46 from the feeding and detecting rolls 1, 2, it may be pivoted on a pair of brackets '79 (Fig. 2), one at each end of the gate, which are each adjustably fastened, to the'machine frame by means of a screw fitting any one of a series of threaded holes 81, in the bottom of a groove 82.

Although the operation of the machine will, it is believed,- be understood from the foregoing description, it may be briefly summarized as follows: Assuming that there is no blank in the machine, in order to start it the trip 3'7 and rod 38 are manually lifted and allowed to drop back. This will cause the feed clutch to engage and impart a single reciprocation of the feed actuating mechanism to feed a blank from the bottom of stack S into the nip of the detecting rolls 1, 2. Meanwhile the trip 37 will be in its lowermost position and the gate 46 in its uppermost or open position. As the leading end of the blank is carried along by rolls 1, 2, and by the conveyor 27, the measurementsdetermined by the roll 2 will not be preserved or registered in the setting mechanism until the leading end of the blank reaches and lifts trip 37. When trip 37 is lifted by the blank the locking pawl 43 will engage its rack 44, thereby starting the elfective thinness measurement which is transmitted to the grading mechanism, and gate 46 will be lowered to rest on the passing blank, in which position the gate will still hold pawl 55 disengaged from its ratchet 56. When the trailing end of the blank passes out from under gate 46 the gate will fallto the table and set pawl 55, thereby locking the setting shaft 19 against movement in either direction. The stamping wheel 26 will be actuated when the leading end of the blank operates trip '78. When the trailing end of the blank passes out from under trip 37 the latter falls to the table and thereby simultaneously performs three functions, namely, it disengages the thinness locking pawl 43, it opens the gate 46 and it connects the clutch of the feed actuating mechanism to start the feeding in of another blank, whereupon the cycle of operations just described will be repeated.

Although the specific grading means herein described is a grade stamping or marking device,

the term grading means or grading mechanism is used herein in its generic sense as established in this art, to include also evening or skiving devices, indicating devices, and/or distributing devices, unless otherwise limited expressly or by context.

I claim:

1. A grading machine comprising detecting means to determine the thickness grades of successive blanks of stock fed therethrough, grading means, setting mechanism whereby the grading means is responsive to the detecting means, a lock for said setting mechanism, a gate in advance of the detecting means, normally idle feeding mechanism for feeding blanks into the machine, a rock-shaft common to said lock, gate and feeding mechanism for operating the same, and a trip in the path of the blanks between the detecting means and the grading means adapted to be actuated by the passing blanks and to actuate the rock-shaft.

2. A grading machine comprising detecting means to determine the thickness grades of successive blanks of stock fed therethrough, grading means, setting mechanism whereby the Teegrading means is responsive to the detecting means, a lock for said setting mechanism, a gate in advance of the detecting means, normally idle feeding mechanism for feeding blanks into the machine, a rock-shaft common. to said lock, gate and feeding mechanism, three levers carried by said rock-shaft for operating said lock, gate and feeding mechanism, respectively, from said; common rock-shaft, and a trip in the path of the blanks between the detecting means and the grading means adapted to be actuated by the passing blanks and to actuate the rock-shaft.

3. A grading machine comprising detecting means to determine the thickness grades of successive blanks of stock fed therethrough, grading means to act upon said blanks setting mechanism whereby the grading means is responsive to the detecting means, a conveyor for propelling the blanks from the detecting means to the grading means, a lock for said setting mechanism, a gate in advance of the detecting means, normally idle feeding mechanism for feeding blanks into the machine, a rock-shaft common to said lock, gate and feeding mechanism for operating the same, and a trip in the path of the blanks between the detecting means and the grading means adapted to be actuated by the passing blanks and to actuate the rock shaft.

4. A grading machine comprising detecting means to determine the thickness grades of successive blanks of stock fed therethrough, grading means to act upon said blanks, setting mechanism whereby the grading means is responsive to the detecting means, a conveyor for propelling the blanks froiii the detecting means to the grad ing means, a lock for said setting mechanism, a gate in advance of the detecting means, normally idle feeding mechanism for feeding blanks into the machine, a rock-shaft common to said lock, gate and feeding mechanism, three levers carried by said rock-shaft for operating said lock, gate and feeding mechanism, respectively, from said common rock-shaft, and a trip in the path of the blanks between the detectingv means and the grading means adaptedto be actuated by the passing blanks and to actuate the rock-shaft.

5. A grading machine comprising detecting means to determine the thickness grades of successive blanks of stock fed therethrough, grading means, setting mechanism whereby the grading means is responsive to the detecting means, a lock for said setting mechanism, a vertically movable gate in advance of the detecting means, normally idle feeding mechanism for feeding blanks into the machine, a rock-shaft common to said lock, gate and feeding mechanism for operating the same, and a trip in the path of the blanks between the detecting means and the grading means adapted to be actuated by the passing blanks and to actuate the rock-shaft, the actuation of the rock-shaft by the engagement of the trip by the advance end of, the blank acting to lower the gate and lock the lock and the actuation of the rock-shaft when the trailing end of the blank passes out of engagement with the trip acting to unlock'the lock, open the gate and operate the feeding mechanism.

' JAMES W. JOHNSTON. 

